10 Harvey-related deaths reported in the Houston area
HOUSTON (FOX 26) - A man who went into distress while attempting to swim across floodwaters in Montgomery County is presumed dead, the sheriff's office says.
The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office released this statement:
On 08-28-2017 just before 11:30 pm, a male was seen by multiple witnesses attempting to swim across the flood waters located at Spring Park Ridge and SH 99 (Grand Parkway). The white male was approximately 60 – 70 years in age, his identity is unknown at this time. The male entered the water and witnesses observed the male go into distress. Witnesses attempted to assist the male but were unsuccessful.
At this time the male is presumed to be deceased, due to the exceptionally fast moving flood waters rescue crews were unable to deploy.
More details to be released as they become available.
Four children and their great-grandparents were swept away during Harvey-related flooding in Greens Bayou, the Pasadena Independent School District has confirmed.
Pasadena ISD released the following statement on its Facebook page:
Pasadena ISD's heart is heavy as we have learned that four Pasadena ISD students and two of their great-grand parents were swept away by the floodwaters of Greens Bayou while trying to escape the floodwaters of Harvey.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, the Pasadena High School and Williams Elementary Communities during this most difficult time. Our deepest sympathy for the family.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has established the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund following inquiries from citizens and corporations who offered help. The fund, administered by the Greater Houston Community Foundation, will accept tax deductible flood relief donations.
“We are getting calls from across the country and right here in our hometown, and the generosity of people who understand this disaster is truly amazing,” said Mayor Turner. “Together we can make a difference to those who will need extensive help to get back on their feet once this storm is over.”
Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander announced on Monday that he and the team would donate $4 million to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund.
The Houston Texans preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys, originally scheduled to take place at NRG Stadium in Houston, will be relocated to AT&T Stadium in Arlington with kickoff at 7 p.m. CT.
The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office has confirmed the death of a 60-year-old woman after a tree fell on her while she slept.
Tropical Storm Harvey slammed Houston with devastating floods pouring into the nation's fourth-largest city, dropping nearly 24" across the Houston-area. On Sunday, rising water sent thousands of people to rooftops or higher ground. Rescuers stepped into high gear to assist with more than 2,000 constant calls for help. Tropical Storm Harvey dropped as much as 24" of rainfall across this area.
Hundreds of people across the Houston area are trapped in floodwaters, with Texans helping their neighbors with boat rescues. Houston's George R. Brown Convention Center is now open for flood victims. More rounds of heavy rain until potentially Thursday or Friday when the system is slated to leave the Houston area.
CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF MANDATORY AND VOLUNTARY EVACUATION ORDERS.
Harris County Flood Control District meteorologist Jeff Lindner announced that a controlled release of the Addicks and Barker Reservoirs had begun late Sunday. The process will likely add more water to already-flooded roads, but is intended to prevent flooding into residential neighborhoods.
CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF NEIGHBORHOODS AFFECTED BY RESERVOIR RELEASE.
Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital closed it's doors Monday afternoon temporarily and transferred patients as a proactive measure due to increasing water levels posing a flood threat in the area.
Memorial Hermann released this statement, "Patients currently at Memorial Hermann Sugar Land will be safely transferred to Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital at 7600 Beechnut, Houston, TX, 77074. Memorial Hermann has prepared for events like today's and has procedures in place to make this move as seamless as possible for our patients, families, employees and physician partners. In coordination with CMOC (the Catastrophic Medical Operations Center), we will begin transferring patients this afternoon."
All commercial flight operations at Bush Intercontinental and William P. Hobby airports have ceased until further notice with no flights in and out. Roadways into and out of the airports are closed with Bush Airport affected by flooding.
All drinking water is now safe in the Houston-area and the Woodlands despite rumors.
A mandatory evacuation was ordered by the Rosenberg Police Department for homes on Huntington Road as it is unknown if the bridge into the city will hold as river levels rise as the bridge is the only way out.
Governor Greg Abbott has added the following Texas counties to the Presidential Disaster Declaration granted earlier by Federal Emergency Management Agency:
- Aransas
- Bastrop
- Brazoria
- Burleson
- Calhoun
- Chambers
- Fort Bend
- Galveston
- Harris
- Jackson
- Liberty
- Matagorda
- Polk
- San Jacinto
- Victoria
- Wharton
"Our partners at the federal level have stood ready to answer the call for help from Texas, and I am thankful for their assistance as we continue to assess the situation in expanded areas across our state," said Governor Abbott. "Many parts of Eastern Texas, especially in and around Houston, are experiencing historic flooding causing the need to grow for additional resources that will allow us to answer the call for help from our fellow Texans. I thank those at FEMA for their attention to the severity of the situation in Texas and the people of this great state for coming together in this time of need."
"These communities have suffered a great deal because of this catastrophic storm, but Texans are resilient by nature and will make it through this tough time," said Gov. Abbott. "Resources are being made available to these counties to help Texans get their lives back on track. The state will continue to do everything in its power to engage in the recovery effort and assist those in need of relief."
CLICK HERE FOR CREEKS, BAYOUS AND RIVERS FLOOD FORECAST
The White Houston says President Donald Trump will travel to Texas on Tuesday.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner is defending his decision not to ask residents to evacuate before the heavy rain from Tropical Storm Harvey swamped roads and neighborhoods across the nation's fourth-largest city.
Turner says at a news conference Sunday that there was no way to pinpoint which neighborhoods would be worst hit. He says every neighborhood has received at least some flooding.
He says, "If you think the situation right now is bad and you give an order to evacuate, you are creating a nightmare."
Turner asked people to stay in their homes and not drive if at all possible. Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena says authorities have made more than 250 vehicle rescues in the storm.
CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF POWER OUTAGES IN THE AREA
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner says emergency personnel have responded to more than 2,000 calls to 911 for rescues in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. He said priority was being given to life-threatening calls.
Turner also said at a news conference Sunday that he has ordered the downtown George R. Brown Convention Center opened as a shelter as floodwaters inundated much of the city.
Turner also urged people not to drive, as numerous streets and roadways in Houston, the nation's fourth largest city, were flooded Sunday.
The George R. Brown Convention Center has 1.8 million square feet of space.
Patients and staff have begun to evacuate from Bayshore Medical Center in Pasadena and will transfer to the following health care facilities:
- Clear Lake Regional Medical Center
- Conroe Regional Medical Center
- Houston Northwest Medical Center
- Kingwood Medical Center
- Mainland Medical Center
- Pearland Medical Center
- Tomball Regional Medical Center
- West Houston Medical Center
Harris County sheriff's spokesman Jason Spencer says flooding throughout the county that includes Houston and the region is so widespread that it's "difficult to pinpoint the worst area."
The airfield is closed at William P. Hobby Airport due to standing water on runways, leading to no inbound or outbound flights. Travelers are encouraged to check their flight statuses before arriving to Hobby Airport.
METRO Houston said it would suspend bus service.
Aransas County Judge C.H. 'Burt' Mills Jr. says there is one confirmed death from Harvey in the coastal city of Rockport.
The tropical system appears to have triggered dangerous potential tornadoes in northwest Harris County where Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said they touched down at least four times with extensive damage in the Lone Oak subdivision near the Berry Cehter.
Wharton Police posted that they were getting reports of a tornado touching down in East Bernard with several homes affected.
President Donald J. Trump has signed a Presidential Disaster Declaration at the request of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
“Granting this request will provide Texans the additional resources needed to protect themselves, their property and rebuild their lives if necessary after Hurricane Harvey,” said Governor Abbott. “I spoke with President Trump yesterday and am confident that he will move quickly to grant this request and provide the people of Texas with everything they need to recover from this storm. I want to continue to encourage Texans to take this threat seriously, heed warnings from local officials, and do all they can to prepare as the state of Texas works to ensure we are in the best position to respond to urgent needs following this storm.”
After the Federal Emergency Management Agency granted the request, Gov. Abbott released the following statement:
I want to thank the President and FEMA for their quick response in granting this disaster declaration. We will continue to work with our federal and local partners on all issues relating to this storm, and I encourage Texans to continue heeding all warnings from local officials.
During a news conference on Saturday afternoon, Gov. Abbott said that 80 Texas Department of Public Safety troopers are assigned to the Corpus Christi area while 228 buses have been dispatched to help evacuees. 1,000 state employees have been assigned to search and rescue efforts.
Texas Department of Transportation crews have already begun road cleanup operations.
A disaster declaration has been issued for 50 Texas counties.
Twenty inches of rainfall has already been recorded in the Corpus Christi area.
A tropical storm warning is in effect until Wednesday night for the following counties:
- Brazoria
- Chambers
- Galveston
- Harris
- Jackson
- Liberty
- Matagorda
A flash flood warning is in effect until 1:45 a.m. Wednesday for the following counties:
- Brazoria
A flash flood warning is in effect until midnight for the following counties:
- Montgomery
- Harris
A flash flood warning is in effect until 6:30 p.m. Tuesday for the following counties:
- Chambers
- Galveston
- Liberty
A flash flood watch is in effect until 7 p.m. Tuesday for the following southeast Texas counties:
- Austin
- Brazoria
- Brazos
- Burleson
- Chambers
- Colorado
- Fort Bend
- Galveston
- Grimes
- Harris
- Jackson
- Liberty
- Madison
- Matagorda
- Montgomery
- San Jacinto
- Walker
- Waller
- Washington
- Wharton
A tornado warning is in effect until 10:30 p.m. Monday for Chambers and Galveston counties:
Harvey is the first Category 3 or stronger hurricane to make landfall since Hurricane Wilma in October 2005.
Keep informed with FOX 26 News updates on Hurricane Harvey.